Trucks continue to dominate trade between U.S., Canada and Mexico

Friday, March 29, 2013

Trucking lead the way among modal trade in January between the United States, Canada and Mexico, finishing the month with a 59.3 percent share of the $90.5 billion in trade, according to the Department of Transportation.
Year over year, truck trading grew by 3 percent.
Rail was responsible for carrying 14.3 percent of the total trade value, a 4.8 percent year-over-year rise, while vessels handled 9.8 percent. Air was only used to carry 3.8 percent of the trade in January.
Trucking between the United States and Canada accounted for more than 53 percent of the $51 billion in trade, and trucking also propelled the $39.5 billion in trade, with Mexico accounting for 67.4 percent. Rail trade was the second most popular option for trade with Canada, at 16.2 percent, but vessel trade with Mexico, at 14.5 percent, was most active mode aside from trucking.
Air cargo trade between the United States and Canada finished the month at 4.4 percent, and Mexican air freight stood at 3.1 percent.
Michigan, Illinois and Texas were the most active trading partners with Canada in January, with Texas taking the third spot from Ohio when compared to January 2012. Trade with Mexico was dominated by Texas, California and Michigan, the same states that led the trade a year ago.
The top goods traded between the United States and Canada by truck included computer-related cargo, with mineral fuels and oils going by vessel and electrical machinery being routed through the air. In trade with Mexico, the most popular trucked good was electrical machinery. Again, mineral fuels traveled by vessel and electrical machinery made its journey by air. - Jon Ross